Wildfires raged in the south of France today after weeks of dry weather and record temperatures across the country, devastating large swaths of land.
The biggest fire spread in the Aude and Herault regions, where up to 800 firefighters and 150 vehicles were deployed to tackle the flames that ran over 2,200 acres.
Further fires broke out in the neighbouring Marseille region, where two blazes were brought under control, but not yet extinguished. Alain Bucquet, the Aude prefect, said fire services will receive support from two additional water-bomber aircraft, bringing the total number of Canadair planes on the site to four.
The Aude is regularly hit by wildfires, and firefighters last year contained France’s largest wildfire in decades in the region. High temperatures are expected in the coming days, and the drought is expected to last, with no rain forecast following the early heatwave in May and the one that gripped France at the end of June.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported that three significant fires, two near Marseille’s western outskirts, have charred approximately 1,210 hectares.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu convened a crisis meeting in Marseille amid a newly ignited fire near Roquemaure. The World Meteorological Organization previously warned that continued extreme temperatures, coupled with low humidity and dry vegetation, heighten wildfire risks.
The most extensive blaze is located in the Aude region near Spain, with 900 hectares burned. High winds challenge the efforts of 800 firefighters in the area. Meanwhile, other fires near Marseille, including one at Lancon-Provence, are being contained. The region braces for more potential heatwaves next week.